Nikola Jokic's triple-double puts Denver Nuggets up 3-0 on Minnesota Timberwolves
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Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets takes a shot over Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half of Game 3 of their NBA play-offs.
PHOTO: AFP
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MINNESOTA – The Denver Nuggets arrived in Minnesota on Friday night packing a punch, knowing that the National Basketball Association (NBA) play-offs, especially when playing away from home, is more a fight than a basketball game.
Led by their star man Nikola Jokic, who amassed a triple-double of 20 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds, they clinched a 120-111 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 3 of the Western Conference first-round play-offs in Minneapolis.
The top-seeded Nuggets grabbed a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and will aim for a sweep on Sunday, also at the Timberwolves’ home court.
“We didn’t want to give them life,” said Jokic, the two-time reigning NBA MVP (Most Valuable Player) who led the league with 29 triple-doubles this season.
“We wanted to be the aggressor. We wanted to punch them first.
“We need the same mindset, and the same focus (for Game 4). We know they are going to go even more aggressive in two days so we just need to keep the composure. We know what to expect.”
Nuggets coach Mike Malone, meanwhile, also urged his men to get the job done on Sunday.
“No disrespect to the T-Wolves, this is about us, we don’t want to go back to Denver (for a Game 5),” he said. “I’m proud of the group.
“They handled their business like they’re supposed to, like mature teams do.”
Denver, who never trailed in the final three quarters, also got 25 points and nine rebounds from Michael Porter Jr.
Jamal Murray contributed 18 points and nine assists, while Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope put up 14 points apiece and Bruce Brown scored 12.
The eighth-seeded Timberwolves fell short despite Anthony Edwards’ game-high 36 points.
Karl-Anthony Towns logged 27 points, and Rudy Gobert totalled 18 points and 10 rebounds. Mike Conley had 12 points.
Jokic’s triple-double was the seventh in post-season play for the Serb.
The only centre with more career post-season triple-doubles was Wilt Chamberlain, who had nine.
Despite the Nuggets’ dominance on Friday, the Timberwolves cut what was a 13-point deficit to three on Edwards’ three-pointer early in the fourth quarter.
However, Denver responded with a quick 9-2 run to regain control.
The Nuggets shot 57.1 per cent from the floor, with Minnesota at 45.6 per cent.
“Our decision-making on offence just kind of let us down,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.
“And we have got to buck up and be better all across the board.”
Overall, the Nuggets’ bench players were also superior, outscoring the Timberwolves’ reserves 29-10. REUTERS
